The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-05-28
MAMA.

When the Israelites first saw the strange
dew they inquired Z" What is it?" Moses ex-
planned that it was the bread which GoD had
given them for food. 1t appears that the
thing was afterward called by name formed
of the word which was instinctively uttered
| when it was first seen, Mamma" Man her?).
Moses instructed the people in the manner
of gathering and preparing the mamma for
food. He was, no doubt, from his long res
idence in the wilderness familiar with the
substance and its use as an article of food.
1t appears to have been a substance that fell
with the dew, but that when the dew evap-
GRATED remained for a time in curdled or
waxen particles, which would melt and dis
solve under the increasing heat of the sun.
These white, seed-like particles were gath
cred only before they began to melt, and
were put in mortars and reduced to meal or
paste, from which cakes were baked that
"tasted like waters made with honey" Be-
cause it did not keep we'll it was gathered
each day for immediate use. Provision was
made, however, to gather two daily rations
on the sixth day, one to be prepared for use
on the Sabbath, but we are not quite sure
that it is necessarily stated that no mamma
was produced on the Sabbath. From verses
and it would appear that Israel's obedi-
ence to GoD was to be proved by this provis-
ion for keeping the Sabbath. 1t would hard
ly be test of obedience to law if no mama
were produced on the Sabbath, and the peo-
pie we're of necessity obliged to make provis-
ion for the day or go hungry. DR.. Manley
in EGYPT and the Wilderness, Vol. II. of
Biblical Review" suggests an Interpretation
of the language employed that makes it ap-
ply to the gathering of the mama, and not
to the production of it on the Sabbath. The
mamma appears to have been natural pro-
duction of the country, and was employed by
Moses by Divine direction for sign to Israel
that "GoD had brought them out from
Egypt" There is now a substance similarly
produced in that country which the Arabs
call by the same name. "manna,' or "mann,"
and which is employed principally as med
icine. Anciently much more may have been
produced than at present, and of somewhat
different quality and flavor. But we are not
to conclude that the Israelitss subsisted for
forty years entirely upon mamma, or that the
supply was continuous during all that period,
or for any long period at time. II may
have appeared annually at favorable sea-
son for its production, and providentially at
time adapted to the necessities and circum-
stances of Israel.
We cannot repudiate altogether the exist
ence of natural causes, unless we go so far
as to maintain that mountains and palm trees,
quails and waters wind and earthquake, were
mere creations of the moment to supply mo-
mentary wants; we cannot repudiate alto
gether the intervention of Providence,
strange, unexpected, and impressive in the
highest degree, unless we are prepared to re-
ject the whole story of the stay in the wilder
ness.-StGnley" History of the Jewish Church"
1t would seem that Moses knew what mama
was, and that, too, without any divine COM
munication. He knew it was something to be
eaten,-he knew about how much man would
need,-he knew it should not be kept till the
next day in it's natural state,-but he knew
how to prepare it so it would keep for day or
more Moses had been in the country before,
and. had no doubt become acquainted with
mama, and the best use to be made of it. And
on its first announcement by GOD, thus: I'm
the morning We shall be filed with bread" he
knew what was referred to; and when it APP
peared, he told thepeople what it was and how
to use it-Reu. w. Il. Mdnley, d. d.
This (manna) is now clearly ascertained by
Seetzen and Burckhardt to be a natural pro-
duction: it distills from the thorns of the tam
arisk, in the month of June. 1t is still collect
ed by the Arabs before sunrise, when it is
coagulated, but it dissolves as soon as the sun
shines upon it, Its tasteAis agreeable, some
what aromatic, and as sweet as honey. 1t may
be kept for year, and is only found after
wet season. 1t is called by the Bedouins,
Mann" The quantity now collected, for it
is found only in a few valleys, is very small.
Milman, History of the Jews"